The Arrival

Hello everyone! All I can say is wow. Between Peace Corps training/orientation sessions and 2 different host families in 4 days, there is little time and effort to blog. Nevertheless, I figure I should let family and friends know that I have arrived safely, alive, and well.

Pre-service training was is Washington, DC for a full day of get-to-know-you introductions and ice breakers involving other Peace Corps Trainees (PCTs). There are 29 of us working in either the healthy homes or healthy schools project, the later of which I am assigned. The training day was meant to give everyone a taste of what was to come the following morning, which came way too soon, at a whooping 2:00am! As group leader, I was "responsible" for getting everyone to the airport on time, which entailed tipping the bus driver for taking us to the airport 2 hours early... Sigh.* We finally made it to Guatemala.

The Peace Corps office in Guatemala is located near the city of Antigua, which is surrounded by beautiful countryside consisting of forest, hills, and volcanoes, nestled under a thin layer of clouds. The office itself is in a guarded complex of barbed wire and concrete walls, which seems a bit extreme for the incredibly friendly country of Guatemala. It seems the town is used to seeing gringos walking about, and greet you with a friendly "buenas tardes" after each training session. The first three sessions consisted of an overview of medical and safety information along with several shots that were not administered in the United States. Now to the essence of Peace Corps: Integration!

My first host family was with Don Mauro and Doña Irma, who were incredibly hospitable people, regardless of the loss of a family member earlier this year. They had 4 kids, and a dog they called Lulu. After dinner, we would sit down and talk about various topics, ranging from my suspected amigovias in the states to the duck duck goose games I had played earlier in the park. Although it has only been 4 days in Guatemala, I must share a memory that I will never forget on the first night of my homestay in Santa Lucia. After much discussion about family over dinner, I had asked Doña Irma if I could take a shower. She grinned, and proceeded to tell me that I could bathe myself in a little bit. Continuing to sip my coffee, about 10 minutes of discussion had passed, and Doña Irma said that I could now take a shower. I then go to my room, get my towel, and proceed to the bathroom. Upon arrival, I realize that there is a shower, but it doesn't work. I throw on my clothes and return to the pila (glorified sink), where I find Doña Irma, bucket in hand, waiting to greet me with a "Bienvenido a Guatemala!" The first realization that I am not in Texas anymore.